Huddersfield choked in the play-offs and were never in the game at Wembley, but there were very consistent in beating "lessor" teams throughout the season to ensure a good league position, but usually failing in the big games against teams like Leeds.

And their star player is Australian.

Cudjoe hasn't really performed in the big games and was embarrassed in the Challenge Cup semi-final by Meli as I remember.
Mason is a decent prop who has had a great season but is unlucky to be in a position where England are strong with Morley, Peacock, Graham, Crabtree, LMS etc.
I agree with you in that Welham would be worth a spot in a train-on squad but disagree that he is a better player than Bridge.
Ferguson at Wakey is a good player and similar to Harrison in many ways but again in my opinion not as good.

Who else should have been picked for the squad ahead of the Warrington contingent?

The last three, no freakin chance.
The former 2 are unlucky, both had decent seasons, personally I think Harrison will become a better player than Ferguson, we'll obviously differ on that one

Does Brett Hodgson qualify to play for England yet?

Not sure why Cudjoe(to gain experience) and Wild aren't in the train on squad. I can see why Harrison is in there. He's been great when i've seen him and can gain a lot from it. Higham, Clarke, Tickle and Westwood can only be there as back up.

You cannot just put down the finishing position of, for example, Huddersfield on the shoulders of the overseas players. It is about various factors, including the coach. The league table does reflect the team performance and in the past we have heard of players not being selected because, as a team, he was not part of a higher achieving side.

I'm not interested in who 'should' have been picked. I am highlighting that the coach has picked more players from his own team than the rest of the other available teams combined so far. It woudn't surprise me at all if most of them don't make it, I'd be shocked if they don't mostly miss out in fact, but it till seems to me that he is abusing his position as head coach of England to try and develop his club players and help his club side and I think that's out of order.

We'll see but don't hold your breath, its difficult when you only see them 3 or 4 times a season granted and i have no wish to have a go at Ben.

Fergy will play for GB/England of that i have no doubt.

If there are 3 in front of him then why pick him? He's just not needed, although it would certainly help Warrington if the player were to gain experience of the International set up even if realistically he has no chance of representing his country this time.

Shame Ricky Bibey got injured then, he would’ve been a shoe in.


Brough did get injured (50-50 for the play off match). Don't get me wrong I'm quite glad he has missed out so that he can spend the off season resting so he can come back chomping at the bit next year.

Ferguson is another who has plaudits from rival supporters (even Huddersfield fans!) and caught Leeds interest when they came for Pitts!

because (despite what rogues gallery would have you believe) he's been very very good for us this year, and much like people questioning westwood, he's an incumbent if you will from the last england squad and one of a few to come back from the world cup with positive performances behind him.

And who's to say, that those 3 who are probably involved in the play offs, won't pick up an injury in the remaining weeks? so rather than try and get someone off holiday who's packed in training, keep em on their toes.

Bottom line for me, with the exception of westwood, who's been a bit up and down this year compared to previous seasons, the rest of them deserve to be in the train on squad at the very least, aside from king and monas after a change in attitude, this 5/6 have been our best players, and it wouldn't have surprised me if he was fit, that Simon Grix probably would have got a call up as well.

So despite him being behind 3 players all vying for one position you pick him because "He's been good for you"?

I dare say the 3 in front of him have been good for their clubs.

Being an incumbant is totally irrelevant. At the last World Cup we played like a bunch of strangers, so to use that as any kind of justifcation is ridiculous.

Mickey Higham has plenty of experience of being around international squads, did he not play for GB around 2004/5?

I'd love to know exactly what experience you think players are gaining as a result of being in this notional train-on squad? How much work do you think they will be doing between now and the time the squad is trimmed down after the Grand Final?

To insinuate that Tony Smith is looking to use his England position to somehow "develop" his Warrington players when all they will be doing is going through a few drills and keeping fit until the final squad is announced is paranoid delusional conspiracy theory.

If it's a train on squad why add Harrison & Bridge and not for say example:

Owen, Westerman, Ferguson, Blaymire, Wild, Cudjoe, Lawrence, Welham?

In terms of the accusation that he is picking players to develop them for Warrington, only Bridge and Harrison have been picked who aren't already full England/GB internationals. Both are young, former junior internationals who have been very good this season. Harrison definitely has the potential to play for England and his selection can therefore be fully justified, whilst Bridge offers cover in areas of particularly weakness.

Comparisons with players like Snitch who is an decent honest player but will never ever be good enough to play for England, are bizaare.

Try and take your blinkers off for a minute.
England's hookers are likely to be Roby, Moore, and Diskin.
2 of these are still involved in the play-offs and therefore could quite possibly get injured. The whole point of a train-on squad is we have sufficient players fit and available who have trained with each other come the time of the series.
It is entirely logical to have a player like Higham who has proven himself on the international scene to be keeping fit with the train-on squad, not matter how much you delude yourself otherwise.

I really like Tony Smith.


Just when the footy season is winding down, he does his best impression of a coach and fills Australian hearts with laughter.

Between him and Paul Wellens....I physically p*ss myself during every English test match. I'm a bit like your lineup in that sense.